1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved data processing system and, in particular, to a method and system for multi-computer data transferring. Still more particularly, the present invention provides a method and system for multi-user communication using email.
2. Description of Related Art
The receipt of unwanted email messages is a common problem that is widely experienced by many email users. These email messages may originate from organizations or persons with which a user no longer wants to communicate, or these messages may be unsolicited, broadcast, commercial, email messages, also known as “spam”. One of the factors that causes this problem is the fact that after a user's email address has been divulged, it can be used to send email for as long as the email address is valid, which is typically several years.
One solution to the spamming problem has been the implementation of address-blocking lists, which block the delivery of all email messages from a certain email address. Another solution has been to filter email messages by scanning them for undesirable content. Although effective, some previous solutions allow delivery of unwanted email messages to a user who then has the burden of filtering or blocking the messages, while other previous solutions require a substantial transfer of control or privacy from the user to a service provider that performs filtering or blocking actions on behalf of the user.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a method and system for providing a user with the ability to selectively control the delivery of email messages. It would be particularly advantageous to maximize the flexibility of user control while minimizing the computational burdens on a service provider that performs email processing operations on behalf of a user.